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Shawn Long
(Courtesy of University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics)

Cajuns fall to hot-shooting Miami in road opener

Staff Report

Miami shot 50-plus percent and connected on 12 three-point baskets in claiming a 93-77 victory against the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball team Monday evening at BankUnited Center.
The Hurricanes (2-0) shot 53 percent (16-of-30) and netted six triples in the opening stanza, building a 43-27 halftime edge.
The hosts shot 60 percent (15-of-25) and landed six more triples to keep pace with the Ragin’ Cajuns (1-1) in a second half that was tied 50-apiece.
Morgan City High alum Shawn Long led Louisiana with 21 points and 13 rebounds for his first double-double of the 2015-16 season and 53rd of his career. Long, now with 1,054 career rebounds, surpassed Marcus Stokes (1,046) for second place on the Cajuns’ career listing.
Long was one of five Ragin’ Cajuns to score double figures. He was joined by Jay Wright (13), Kasey Shepherd (12), Devonta Walker (11) and Bryce Washington (11).
Louisiana outrebounded Miami 38-31, spurred by a 25-13 second-half edge.
The Cajuns held a 42-22 edge on points in the paint and generated 21 second-chance points.
Davon Reed scored 19 points to lead Miami. Angel Rodriguez finished with 18 points and Sheldon McClellan scored 16 points for the Hurricanes. Anthony Lawrence and Jaquan Newton scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Miami finished 12-of-23 from three-point range, compared to 5-of-20 for Louisiana, holding a decisive 21-point edge beyond the arc.
With their lead trimmed to 19-15 with 12:12 remaining in the first half after a layup by Long, the Hurricanes closed the half with a 24-12 run that provided a double-digit cushion that remained throughout the final 20 minutes.
Miami’s lead reached 20 points, 56-36, at 15:23 mark of the second half on a three-point make by Reed. Louisiana received a triple from Shepherd with 15:04 remaining but was unable to put a dent in the deficit as the Hurricanes had an answer for each Cajuns score through the 10:46 mark.
A made basket by Long with 10:18 remaining then a put back after a missed free throw by Wright with 9:47 left trimmed the Miami lead to 70-57.
The Hurricanes answered with an 8-3 run, keyed by treys from Reed and Cruz Uceda, for a 78-60 edge with 8:25 remaining.
Louisiana made another push, scoring six unanswered to move within 12 points, 78-66, as the clock reached six minutes.
After a turnover by Reed, the Cajuns attempted to lower the Hurricanes’ lead into single digits on a three-point attempt by Tyrone Wooten. His shot rimmed out with 5:42 remaining, then Reed drove for a dunk with 5:31 left to break the Louisiana run.
Wooten had a shot blocked after the Cajuns pushed the ball up the court, then Lawrence drew a foul and made two free throws with 5:21 remaining to stretch Miami’s lead to 82-66.
Monday’s contest marked the second meeting all-time between the two programs and first since a matchup in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Dec. 20, 1999 that UL won 66-60.
Louisiana wraps up its initial road trip of the 2015-16 season Friday when it visits Alabama in a 7 p.m., contest at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

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